ARIZONA STATE EDITION
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June 26 2016 Vol. I • No. 13
“The Nation’s Best Read Construction Newspaper… Founded in 1957.” Your Arizona Connection – Dennis Hogeboom – 1-877-7CEGLTD – dennishogeboom@cegltd.com
Scenic Virgin River Site of $27M Bridge Rehabilitation By Lori Lovely
$2.8 million project to rehabilitate several southbound bridge surfaces on bridges No. 2, No. 3 and No. 7 was completed. A more extensive rehabilitation project on No. 6 was begun last year; it includes replacing the bridge’s superstructure (girders, deck and railings), as well as widening the roadway through the narrow passage of the scenic Virgin River Gorge.
Arizona DOT photo
CEG CORRESPONDENT
A 29-mi. (46.7 km) stretch of Interstate 15 through Arizona is a heavily-traveled commercial route between Nevada and Utah — an economic corridor effectively linking southern California with the Rocky Mountain region that sees more than 1.4 million commercial trucks each year. When this section of highway was built, it was the most expensive interstate freeway ever built, per mile. Completed in 1973 after a decade of construction, it sees an average of 24,000 vehicles per day. It has been hailed as the most scenic highway in the state, traversing the northwest corner just south of the Utah state line as it winds along the Virgin River, a tributary of the Colorado River. This picturesque pass through the Virgin River Gorge begins at “The Narrows,” with its limestone cliffs towering 500 ft. (152.4 m) above the highway. Along this passage that climbs northbound, five
This picturesque pass through the Virgin River Gorge begins at “The Narrows,” with its limestone cliffs towering 500 ft. (152.4 m) above the highway.
bridges cross the river. Arizona Department of Transportation has been upgrading these structures after a study they and the Federal Highway Administration conducted identi-
fying potential improvements to or repairs of mainline bridges throughout the corridor. Operational, capacity and safety improvements to I-15 for the entire corridor also will be investigated.
These investigations include possible shoulder improvements, rockfall containment enhancements and new climbing lanes. Identified in the study were bridges 2, 3, 6 and 7. Last year, a
ADOT Wants to Know How You Get Around the State How do you get around, Arizona? Spend a little time sharing what takes you from place to place and you’ll help inform how we all get around in the future. The Arizona Department of Transportation and Federal Highway Administration are asking households, most of them outside of metropolitan Phoenix and Tucson, to participate in the
National Household Travel Survey. Up to 30,000 Arizona households, chosen at random, will be contacted by letter over the next year. It’s important that as many households as possible participate because the answers will help state, local and federal officials see SURVEY page 14
How do you get around, Arizona?
We’re No. 1 Another bridge identified in the study is currently undergoing a $27 million rehabilitation. Bridge No. 1 is considered an important element of I-15, providing a vital link between California, Nevada, Arizona and Utah. “This extensive rehabilitation project will include the replacement of the bridge’s superstructure (girders, deck and railings), as well as widening the roadway through the narrow passage of the scenic Virgin River Gorge,” explained Dustin Krugel, public information officer of ADOT Communications. see BRIDGE page 6